9 August 2026 23:20 (UTC+04:00)By Alimat AliyevaUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said new intelligence assessments indicate that between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops could be deployed to Russia to fight alongside Russian forces. The assessment represents a significant increase from previous estimates by Kyiv regarding the scale of North Korea’s military support for Moscow. Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces had recovered remnants of North Korean missiles on Ukrainian territory, adding to concerns over Pyongyang’s growing involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russia and North Korea have significantly expanded military cooperation since Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in June 2024. The latest developments underline growing concerns in Kyiv and among its allies over North Korea’s expanding military role in support of Russia.